I Unleashed a Gossip Gallery in Another World - Chapter 48

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Irevi

◈ I Unleashed a Gossip Gallery in Another World ◈

Chapter 48: The Battle to Subjugate the Fake World Tree

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The so-called Dungeon Demonic Realm crisis, which had plunged the entire Southern Continent into despair overnight.

The disaster that had suddenly struck the once peaceful Southern Continent seemed destined to claim countless adventurers' lives, despite their desperate efforts.

“Fifty additional survivors on the upper floors! Everyone is safe!”

“All wounded people on the middle floors have been transported! Thankfully, there haven't been any deaths yet!”

“We've identified the coordinates of the lower floors! We're going to teleport everyone out now, so gather up!”

But the situation began to change completely the moment the chief administrator of the Adventurer Gossip Gallery began distributing the GPS plugin.

“Oh! It says there's someone on the right!”

“Huh? I only see a pillar.”

“There’s space behind the pillar!”

The dungeon's layout, warped beyond any comprehensible logic, could no longer swallow up adventurers.

“There's one person left on the fifteenth floor?”

“What? We definitely searched every inch of it.”

“Looks like they fell into a trap. Um... could you check using ‘that’?”

Of course, even adventurers who had already been swallowed by the dungeon could have their locations identified without exception as long as they activated the GPS function.

“I thought I was going to die...”

“They really were here...”

“What kind of principle is this...?”

Naturally, the rescue teams using the feature could only marvel at its absurd accuracy and convenience.

> Hostile entity detected ahead.

> Would you like to take a detour?

But the most astonishing part was that even dungeon monsters, which normally could not be detected until one was practically face-to-face with them, were clearly displayed as red dots.

> Selecting this detour will degrade your dungeon rewards.

> Estimated degradation: 17%

It even kindly informed them of the penalties that could result from avoiding hostile entities.

“Is this for real...?”

“Wh-what do we do?”

“What are you all doing?! We save people first!”

Of course, most of the adventurers who had activated the GPS and rushed into the dungeon were either good-hearted people or people with loved ones trapped inside.

That was why the rescue teams entering the dungeon could follow the GPS guidance, minimize combat, and preserve their strength.

“Huh? Then what's this black dot?”

“...G-good question.”

“That’s strange. Aren't people supposed to be white, and monsters red?”

However, another feature startled the rescue teams even more.

“Oh, everyone!”

“Hm?”

“Uh... check ‘that Gallery.’”

The next moment, the adventurers lowered their heads and logged into that Gallery as if they had all agreed to do so beforehand.

[Adventurer Gossip Gallery]

[✪Black dots <<< Are these Scavengers? lol]

[✪(Scary story) The number of black dots detected on the middle floors is exactly the same as the number of people in Silvian's party....]

[✪Current state of the looter party that ignored the warning and activated GPS.JPG]

[✪Gossip Gallery Eraser <<< Upvote if you think they have perfect instincts lol]

And there, they discovered the identities of the black dots being posted in real time.

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[✪Title: Current state of Silvian's party]

Author: Anonymous (Adventurer Rapite)

(An image has been attached.)

They tried using GPS for looting, but everyone without mental immunity passed out lol

Even the few who survived had their GPS shut off, so they're wandering around completely lost lololololol

They don't even know they're being displayed as black dots and sharing their locations in real time lol

[Comments: 27]

Anonymous1: This is fucking hilarious lol

Anonymous2: Yeah, yeah. You're totally fucked now.

Anonymous3: You liked bullying powerless adventurers, didn't you? lol

Anonymous4: So who's the Scavenger now?

Anonymous5: Do you take Gossip Gallery Eraser for a joke?

ㄴAnonymous6: Is Gossip Gallery Eraser your friend or something? Tsk tsk.

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The rescue team scrolled quietly for a while before raising their heads one by one.

“Looks like we'll have to take a detour again....”

“Tch. Those bastards are out of their minds.”

“This is going to be quite a sight once this crisis is over.”

And just as they set off along another long detour, following the GPS guidance...

“Out of the way, nya!”

A desperate shout suddenly rang out from behind them.

“Ah?”

“Wh-what?”

“That face looks awfully familiar....”

The next moment, a blurry figure slipped through the rescue team's blind spot with graceful movements and dashed ahead.

“Wh-what... Urk!”

“Agh!”

“Wh-where did they come from?!”

Only seconds later, screams rang out ahead, and the blinking black dots on the GPS vanished all at once.

“Whew...”

The rescue team watched blankly, then widened their eyes upon recognizing the returning blurry figure, casually tidying their sweat-soaked hair.

“All the Scavengers on the lower floors have been dealt with, nya!”

“Nienie?”

“Let's all hang in there, nya!”

Nienie was not the only one, either. The beastkin adventurers were unquestionably making the greatest contribution during this Dungeon Demonic Realm crisis.

[✪Beastkin <<< If they're clearly the kings of this dungeon, upvote lol]

[✪While rescue teams save one person, beastkin are saving ten lol Elves <<< Feel anything yet?]

[✪Upvote if you're an adventurer who doesn't understand why beastkin are considered a hated race like orcs, the demon race, and goblins lol]

[✪Any adventurers who'll join a protest to improve beastkin treatment once we're out of the dungeon, quietly give this an upvote? hehe]

[✪Nienie <<< Upvote if she's an angel worthy of becoming the next Adventurer's Guild master lololololol]

Already accustomed to acting as dungeon guides, the beastkin raced everywhere as though they had grown wings the instant they got their hands on the GPS system.

They even pushed through areas the GPS could not cover using the beastkin's distinctive sense of smell and hearing.

And at the center of it all was Beastkin Warrior Nienie, an active top-ranked adventurer.

[✪Nienie <<< Why the hell was she underrated? lol]

[✪Nienie Big Sis.... I'll give you silvervine leaves for the rest of my life, so please make me your slave....]

[✪They say a God of War lives in the Southern Continent dungeon. Her forepaws crush Scavengers and slap elves...(Rest omitted)]

“Um, ahem.”

Nienie, who had been dealing with black dots using her distinctive agile movements, took a brief break and lurked in the Gossip Gallery. Then she lowered her head shyly.

“This is embarrassing, nya....”

Having received little attention due to the beastkin discrimination rampant across the continent, she found this response deeply unfamiliar.

“...Still, I'm glad everyone recognizes us now, nya!”

Then Nienie clenched both fists and began swiftly breaking through the dungeon again.

[✪(Repost) Brought over Nienie's Adventurer Gallery post]

Before long, the news everyone had been waiting for reached the Adventurer Main Gallery.

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[✪Title: This adventurer is heading for the dungeon core, nya!]

Author: Beastkin Warrior Nienie

We've put out the immediate fire to some extent, so I'll leave rescuing survivors to my friends, nya!

I'll end this crisis by destroying the dungeon core, nya!

I'd appreciate support from any other adventurers who can spare the strength, nya!

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Nienie, already considered the strongest in speed, had acquired GPS and was heading for the dungeon core in the deepest levels. It was undoubtedly welcome news.

Naturally, the Gossip Gallery erupted with heated reactions upon hearing the news.

Anonymous1: Elves <<< Upvote if they're the biggest idiots of all time lol

Anonymous2: They strutted around like hot shit, but they're still less useful in a dungeon than one beastkin lol

Anonymous3: Elf, you're expelled from our party.

Anonymous4: But isn't the dungeon core at the very bottom of the deepest levels? Is this really okay?

ㄴAnonymous5: Right? Isn't that a place even top-ranked adventurers have to enter in a party?

Of course, there were also many people worried about Nienie, who had begun heading toward that dangerous place alone.

[Beastkin Warrior Nienie: Don't worry, everyone, nya!]

Perhaps aware of those reactions, Nienie herself made a post reassuring everyone in the Adventurer Main Gallery.

[Beastkin Warrior Nienie: I'll quickly destroy the dungeon core and come right back, nya!]

Then, after quite some time had passed.

Nienie's Gallery activity had grown slightly less frequent, and she suddenly uploaded the following post.

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[✪Title: What's this, nya?]

Author: Beastkin Warrior Nienie

(An image has been attached!)

I've reached the lowest floor, but I can't see the dungeon core, nya!

Instead, a strange passage has appeared on the lowest floor of the deepest levels.

I'll go inside for now, and if it seems dangerous, I'll run back out right away, nya!

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Naturally, the adventurers assumed the photo she attached showed a passage leading to the room where the dungeon core was hidden. They thought the crisis would finally end.

(Adventurer's Guild Master Allen): Huh?

(Adventurer Ranking No. 7 Justia): What is that?

(Adventurer Ranking No. 13 Alexander): I've never seen anything like that.

As a result, the doubts voiced by several adventurers under her post, which had been shared to the Gossip Gallery, did not receive much attention.

Anonymous1: So when is Nienie <<< coming back?

Anonymous2: Someone'll probably start ending every post with nya~ soon lol

Anonymous3: Nienie <<< Upvote if her constant nya nya is so cute you want to kiss her lol

But then a long time passed.

Anonymous75: Isn't this taking too long?

Anonymous76: At Nienie's level, shouldn't she have cleared it and come out by now?

Anonymous77: Stop panicking. Let's wait and see lol

Even when the sun set and night grew deep.

[✪(Breaking) Nienie's GPS signal has been lost!!!!!!!!!!!!!]

Nienie did not post again.

* * *

How much time had passed since I distributed the GPS function to the adventurers through the Gossip Gallery?

“Hmm...”

I quietly groaned as I watched the situation, checking the Adventurer Gossip Gallery's mood as it began to darken.

[✪It isn't Nienie Big Sis, right? It really isn't, right?]

[✪Nienie <<< Upvote if you miss her....]

[✪Please, just tell us she's alive....]

[✪I won't ever overcharge you for silvervine leaves again, so please come out!!!]

[✪Any adventurer bros desperately waiting for someone to say nya nya, give this an upvote....]

The Gossip Gallery was filled with posts gathering everyone's prayers for a single beastkin girl.

[✪(Breaking) Dungeon Master subjugation force defeated]

But instead of news of the person everyone awaited, rather desperate information from inside the dungeon arrived.

Anonymous1: Holy shit, why do the deepest levels look like that?

Anonymous2: I don't think anyone but the Hero can get through this....

Anonymous3: What the hell is beneath the deepest levels for them to be defending it like it's Fort Knox....?

The deepest levels of the dungeon, revealed by an anonymous adventurer, had become so horribly distorted that they could no longer even be called a demonic realm.

Anonymous122: So is Nienie the only one who went in there right now?

ㄴAnonymous123: Yeah, the entire subjugation force is getting wiped out.

ㄴAnonymous124: Even the strongest party on the Southern Continent only briefly tried the entrance before retreating immediately lol

Even the lowest floor, where there had been nothing until just before Nienie took her photograph, had changed enough to make even top-ranked adventurers click their tongues.

[✪Report on the failure of the 11th Dungeon Master Subjugation Force.]

[✪Report on the failure of the 12th Dungeon Master Subjugation Force.]

[✪Report on the failure of the 13th Dungeon Master Subjugation Force.]

As reports of failed Dungeon Master subjugation forces continued to arrive, all hope ultimately fell on Nienie, who had entered alone.

Anonymous169: Is there no chance Nienie destroys the core?

ㄴAnonymous170: Half a day has passed with no word from her, so it's probably right to say there's no hope...?

ㄴAnonymous171: If she were safe, she'd at least make a post in the Gallery....

But just as most users began abandoning the hope in their hearts, considering that even Nienie had gone silent...

[✪(Repost) Nienie made a post!!!!!!!!]

A post by the long-unheard-from Nienie suddenly appeared in the Adventurer Main Gallery.

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[✪Title: I'm sorry, nya....]

Author: Beastkin Warrior Nienie

I didn't write because I didn't want to worry my companions outside, but I don't think I can make it now, nya....

It's so strange and dark in here. Even with GPS, it's not easy to determine my location, nya....

And more importantly, the guardians are too strong, nya....

(An image has been attached.)

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But what Nienie's post contained was enough to shatter the adventurers' last hope.

----------

(Rest omitted)

Once all the survivors are rescued, please seal the dungeon, nya.

I'm okay, nya.

I've saved a lot of people, so I'm satisfied, nya....

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At that point, I briefly closed the Gossip Gallery, sighed, and shut my eyes.

‘So it came to this in the end.’

Considering everything, it was clear the Elf Queen had acted before the dungeon's truth could be exposed.

‘Even a top-ranked adventurer... can't do anything about it.’

The place Nienie was posting from was a space located in another dimension, not the physical world.

It was practically virtual reality directly connected to the World Tree system's database.

The moment that place's nature and information were exposed, not only the Elf Queen but also the rulers of the continent's evil plan would be revealed.

That was why it seemed the Elf Queen had decided to defend the database with everything she had, even if it meant the entire Great Forest withered away.

‘If that's the case...’

And that meant one painful truth.

‘There's nothing the adventurers can do.’

And I also lacked conclusive evidence to start an exposé campaign against the Elf Queen as things stood.

An exposé without evidence had no power.

As long as the Elf Queen protected the database, the truth would remain buried forever.

“...”

Even if I somehow succeeded in exposing her and bringing down the Elf Queen, what came after would be the problem.

Once the World Tree was fully corrupted, the world would eventually be consumed by the corrupted dungeon, no matter what anyone did.

[Anonymous: Dungeon Master <<< Confirmed public enemy of the continent.]

[Anonymous: What's that bald Emperor doing? Why isn't he moving already?]

[Anonymous: Just drop a bomb on it and seal the dungeon....]

Through the tacit agreement of the ruling class, who would punish the Elf Queen as a scapegoat and conceal the information as usual.

All while a kind beastkin girl was swallowed forever.

‘But nobody would like an ending like that, right?’

Yes. If I, the former Hero, had not been reincarnated, things would have gone that way.

But I had no intention whatsoever of allowing this incident to end in such a frustrating way.

“Let's see....”

Looking over the photo Nienie attached, I could roughly guess where she was.

Why? Because that virtual dimension was a place I knew very well.

I had personally created it for data management while developing the World Tree program.

Put simply, it was a dimension-scale implementation of the virtual reality from the Gossip Gallery Duel I had distributed through the Gossip Gallery.

Since it did not exist in reality, breaking in was nearly impossible unless one entered through a physically connected passage, as Nienie had.

“Whew...”

But that only applied to ordinary people.

I had designed that virtual space in my previous life. Did they think I would not know its vulnerabilities?

‘To think I'd end up hacking a system I made myself.’

And if I used the dungeon administrator privileges the Dungeon Master had transferred to me?

I thought I could do something very interesting now.

“I can't stay cooped up in my room forever.”

After calculating everything in my head, I picked up the Duel Magic Circle lying around my room and headed for the table.

“...”

Then I picked up a pen and carefully began altering the structure and purpose of the Magic Circle engraved on the scroll.

‘I've given them chances so many times....’

About ten minutes later, I set aside the completed Magic Circle and quickly moved my fingers.

‘In the end, you're making me step in myself.’

A post aimed at every moderator of the Gossip Gallery was quietly uploaded soon after.

[🔒Gossip Gallery Eraser: All Erasers who are free right now, gather up.]

The shut-in Hero was going on strike for the time being.

‘If they keep repeating their mistakes after being given chances, I have no choice but to smash them myself.’

For a little while, it was time to act as a real Hero.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the Great Forest of the Southern Continent.

“Your Majesty, do we truly need to go this far?”

“There are signs of unrest among the young elves....”

“The Great Forest is withering far too quickly as well.”

The elves maintaining the enormous World Tree rising from the heart of the forest spotted the Queen walking quietly toward them and urgently spoke up.

“...Silence, all of you.”

But Queen Minerva of the Elves instantly shut everyone's mouths with her cold expression.

“Keep the deepest levels of the dungeon at the highest difficulty.”

“Yes....”

“This is an order from the ruler of the Great Forest.”

After giving the order, she placed a hand on the World Tree. Its thick branches drew back all at once, forming a passage large enough for people to enter and leave through.

“Ahem....”

The Elf Queen walked inside as naturally as if it were her home. Soon, she smiled and spoke.

“Is the database security holding up well?”

The high-ranking elves, huddled beneath enormous monitors inside the World Tree and busily typing away, slowly raised their heads at the question.

“There have been no issues so far.”

“The World Tree corruption rate remains at its peak.”

“The beastkin intruder will soon be removed.”

They turned back to the monitors, rubbed their dark-circled eyes, and vigorously moved their fingers again.

“Perfect....”

The Elf Queen gazed at them with satisfaction and walked farther inside, muttering to herself.

‘The Unauthorized Gallery has disrupted the plan once again, but....’

The World Tree corruption rate displayed on the central monitor reflected in her eyes.

‘Still, as long as we protect the database dimension, there will be no problem.’

As the Elf Queen watched the corruption rate for a moment, one high-ranking elf quietly reported their progress.

“Within the day, we should be able to seize full control of the World Tree.... No, the Dungeon Master.”

The Elf Queen asked in a calm tone, pretending not to care.

“Then it will also be possible to replace our dungeon core, revealed in the deepest levels, with the World Tree's core?”

“Of course.”

“Ahahaha.... Good. You have all done wonderfully.”

Only after hearing the answer she wanted did she stop hiding it and reveal a chilling smile.

‘It is about time to contact Emperor Rudric and ask him to designate the Dungeon Master a public enemy of the continent.’

The corruption was not yet complete, so the entrance leading to the core of the fake World Tree, secretly grown by the Elf Queen, was exposed in the dungeon's deepest levels.

But the moment the corruption was complete, the entrance leading to the dimension where the fake World Tree's core was stored would close forever.

In its place, the heart of the real World Tree, still desperately resisting even now, would appear on the lowest floor of the deepest levels.

‘If I pin every crime from this incident on the Dungeon Master, the people of the continent will remove the World Tree themselves.’

From then on, things would become very easy.

She only had to return the dungeon's difficulty to normal and let the real World Tree be eliminated by the adventurers gathered to subjugate the public enemy of the continent.

‘From that moment on, the age of us elves will begin.’

From then on, every part of the dungeon would truly fall into the Elf Queen's hands alone.

“Hehehe....”

Naturally, obtaining the negative karma needed to summon the Demon God would become much easier as well.

‘At this point, I will earn a sufficient share too....’

The Elf Queen sat in the wooden chair she had just summoned and leisurely watched the World Tree corruption rate rise in real time.

“Your Majesty!”

“Hm?”

“W-we have a problem!”

Suddenly, the high-ranking elves began reporting shocking news to their Queen with pale faces.

“Intruders have been discovered in the virtual dimension!”

The Elf Queen, momentarily dumbfounded, slowly opened her mouth.

“There are... five intruders in total!”

“...What?”

“W-we don't know where they came in from!”

For a moment, silence fell over the Southern Continent dungeon control room disguised as the Great Forest.

“No one should have broken through the deepest levels....”

Barely regaining her senses amid that silence, the Elf Queen broke into a cold sweat and approached the monitor the high-ranking elves had been watching.

“Th-there is one more strange thing.”

“What is it?”

“A-all five are blackened, so we cannot identify them!”

Then the Elf Queen spotted the black silhouettes of the intruders on the monitor.

“I see....”

As if she had realized something, she lowered her head and logged into the Unauthorized Gallery she hated so much.

[✪(Notice) Dungeon Master Subjugation Force recruitment complete]

“Ha....”

And as expected, the Unauthorized Gallery was ablaze with exactly the news the Elf Queen had anticipated.

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[✪(Notice) Dungeon Master Subjugation Force recruitment complete]

Author: Gossip Gallery Eraser